Hull–based ferries will not be switching to sailing under a Cyprus flag before Brexit – because they are already registered to the Bahamas.

P&O Ferries, which operates the Hull routes to Rotterdam and Zeebrugge, is to re-flag all its ships which operate on the English Channel to be under the Cyprus flag, instead of the British flag, ahead of Britain’s exit from the European Union.

The company said it was taking the decision to keep tax arrangements in the EU and reduce the risk of extra inspections and delays.

P&O’s Hull-based ferries, the Pride of Hull and the Pride of York, will not be affected by the change as both stopped sailing under the British flag more than seven years ago.

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Both were re-registered to the port of Nassau in the Bahamas in 2011 in a move that was heavily criticised at the time.

Changing the place of registration – dubbed “flags of convenience” – enables shipping companies to employ crew members from countries outside of the UK at cheaper rates.

Karl Turner, MP for Hull East, has criticised P&O in the past for paying agency staff on its Hull routes less than the UK minimum wage.

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P&O confirmed last month that it was re-flagging two of its UK ships operating on the English Channel route to France to the Cyprus registry, a decision it will now apply to all six of its Channel ferries before the Brexit deadline.

A spokesman for the company said: “In advance of Britain leaving the European Union on March 29, 2019, we undertook a review of the flag status of our ships on the English Channel.

“For operational and accounting reasons, we have concluded that the best course of action is to re-flag all ships to be under the Cyprus flag.

“The Cyprus flag is on the 'white list' of both the Paris and Tokyo Memoranda of Understanding, resulting in fewer inspections and delays, and will result in significantly more favourable tonnage tax arrangements as the ships will be flagged in an EU member state.

“We have no plans to make any other changes, including the terms and conditions of any of our seafarers, as a result of the new arrangements.”

The Rail, Maritime and Transport union had previously described P&O's re-flagging of UK ships as "pure opportunism".

It claimed the firm's "long-term aim has always been to switch the UK fleet to a tax haven register".

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